All of what you say is great - and kudos to you for signing the petitions. And - it was after 4 Republican senators indicated they would vote against him that Gaetz pulled out. From Newsweek, Nov 21:


After holding what he said were "excellent meetings" with Republican senators throughout Wednesday, Gaetz announced on Thursday afternoon that he would not be pursuing the attorney general job because his "confirmation was unfairly becoming a distraction to the critical work of the Trump/Vance Transition."

Gaetz told associates that he believed Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, Senators Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Susan Collins of Maine and Senator-elect John Curtis of Utah were fully opposed to his nomination and would effectively kill his bid to lead DOJ, New York Times journalist Jonathan Swan reported on Thursday

https://www.newsweek.com/4-republican-senators-matt-gaetz-believed-tank-ag-nomination-1989853

Mitchell McConnell! Even he could not stomach Gaetz. Wow. I wonder if he’s ready to thwart Trump in the years to come?